Raptor
The Raptor was a multipurpose spacecraft used by the Colonial Fleet. In service from the 1950s at earliest, the Raptor was heavily used by the Colonial Fleet, capable of performing a variety of actions. Raptors in the Cylon War were restricted to sublight speeds,Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome. though miniaturised drives were present in all models by the Fall of the Twelve Colonies in 2000, which allowed a limited FTL capability.Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries, Night 2. The standard crew size for a Raptor is two, with a Pilot and Electronic Countermeasure Officer, though space allows for dedicated co-pilot. Roles Within the Colonial Fleet, three craft in particular became the standard models for their particular roles, with Vipers serving as space-superiority fighters, Shuttles as transport ships, and finally Raptors as a combat support vessel. During combat, Raptors typically accompany a Viper squadron to provide targeting information and electronic countermeasures such as interfering with the guidance systems of enemy missiles. Munitions pods can also be attached to the body, allowing it to fire missiles during operations. The Raptor can depressurise its cockpit if rescue of stranded pilots is required. As a scout, Raptors can operate independently using short and medium-range scans to detect radio, heat, or other signatures from spacecraft, scanning planet surfaces for certain molecules such as water. With FTL capability, the Raptor can also perform missions light years away form the mother ship. A further purpose of the Raptor is as a transport, both for general transport of crew from ship-to-ship or ship-to-surface, but also for transport of Marines. Such missions, known as Search-and-Rescue (SAR), are vital in disaster response. Technical specifications The Raptor weighs approximately 50 tons. It can carry at least ten adults in addition to its two-person crew, though excessive occupants prevent it from reaching orbit if launching from the surface.Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries, Night 1. The crew of a Raptor operate using their flight suits and helmets in order to ensure their protection in case of any hull breach causing depressurisation of its cabin. It cannot takeoff from a battlestar's launch tube like the Vipers because of its large size; it is launched from the flight pod instead. Raptors can fly in both atmosphere and space, but in order to maintain lift in an atmosphere its engines must be constantly running which consumes more fuel. At low speeds, Raptors may experience poor handling. Gallery Evac Raptor on Picon.png|An Evac Raptor loading survivors on Picon. Raptor error report terminal 1.png|A terminal for displaying malfunction warnings. Raptor error report terminal 2.png|The same terminal, reporting a fuel leak. Raptor Transponder signal 1.png|The same terminal, verifying a transponder signal. Note the green lights indicating the Raptor in perfect condition. Raptor Transponder signal 2.png|Ditto, transponder signal confirmed. Raptor cockpit 1.png|Raptor cockpit controls, as seen from behind the pilot seat. Raptor cockpit 2.png|Interior shot of a depressurised Raptor after a Cylon attack. Derelict Raptor.png|A derelict Raptor with a Basestar in the process of jumping behind. Raptor DRADIS from Cylon War 1.png|Cylon War-era Raptor DRADIS computer, displaying friendly ships Sources Category:Colonial Fleet starships Category:Starships Category:Vehicles Category:Colonial Fleet